Yesterday, DeWayne Wise joined other historical footnotes, such as the guy who tried to tackle Hank Aaron as he rounded the bases on 715, Francisco Cabrera and the other 4 guys besides Crispus Attucks that were killed in the Boston Massacre, when he saved Mark Buehrle‘s perfect game. That’s the DeWayne Wise of this video. I look forward to his next video, Stop Cheering Me! Okay, so Buehrle is not just a difficult to spell last name. No, sir. He’s a perfect game pitcher, um, guy. So what can we expect of him going forward? After he threw the no-hitter in 2007, he went right back to being the just-below 4 ERA pitcher he was before and since. I’d expect the same now. This perfect game doesn’t do much for Buehrle’s value unless you can convince your leaguemates that he’s suddenly Nolan Ryan Jr. Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:

Lance Berkman – To the DL. What is totally lame, besides me using the word lame, he just pinch-hit on Wednesday. Why play him at all if he might go on the DL? Especially when all reports are saying he could’ve played through it. He could have been back earlier after sitting out the July 21st game too. Very frustrating. On the bright side, now everyone has room for Garrett Jones! *Grey saddles up to a bar* What’s your name? Garrietta Jones? Marry me!

Jordan Zimmermann – Heads to the DL with elbow tenderness. Even when he returns, his innings will be limited. You guys had a good run, now it’s time to look elsewhere.

Alex Rios – 1-for-3, stole three bases yesterday. I see what’s happening here. Can’t give us fantasy value with power so you revert back to your speed. Very sneaky.

Yunel Escobar – Hit another homer yesterday. Doode’s out of his mind right now. If only he didn’t have less speed than the three-hundred pound, Pablo Sandoval.

Jarrod Washburn – 7 IP, 0 ER, 4 baserunners. Who is this guy and what has he done with Jarrod Washburn?

Scott Kazmir – 6 IP, 5 ER. I didn’t start him here and I won’t start him next time out. At some point, I’m going to have to cut bait, but there’s too much upside for me to do it yet. (I did discuss it with Rudy though, so the time is near.)

Rafael Betancourt – Traded to the Rox as the Indians decide another season is in the books. Sleep well, Comatose Indians Fan.

Alex Rodriguez – Might be the first time in two months I’ve mentioned him. (I don’t talk much about the top players.) Anyhoo, he has three steals in the last three games. Great sign that his hip is feeling well.

Steve Pearce – 2-for-4 as he played 1st base. He’ll be in this afternoon’s Buy/Sell. He’ll be just left of the forward slash.

Kyle Blanks – Rudy Jr. hit his 2nd homer yesterday. Rudy was so proud, he called him up to congratulate him, but Kyle said, “You see my new job’s a hassle and kids have the flu, but it’s sure nice talking to you, Dad… It’s been sure nice talking to you.” And as Rudy hung up the phone, it occurred to him, he should go grab a beer with Cecil Fielder.

First time I ask a question, but I’m a regular reader … this development with Berkman has me thinking regarding a very deep mixed non-keeper roto league, where I”m 4th out of 18.

I want to open up a roster spot to pick up an SS (right now I have only F Lopez there). Am I better off (a) dropping Tim Hudson from my DL and moving Berkman there or (b) abandoning the hope that Ordonez finds his stroke in Detroit or elsewhere and dropping him? Or maybe (c) doing both and taking a flier on someone on the WW (like SP matchups, maybe Of The Rose Sunday vs. SF or Ortiz against the hapless Mets)?

And whichever I do, who do you like more at SS between the red-hot Aybar, base-stealing Bonifacio or fellow base-stealer E Cabrera?

My worst categories are BA and SB on offense and Ws and ERA for pitching.

Struggling right now with the sudden number of players on my team hitting the DL or getting hurt.

Only 2 DL spots in my league, which are currently occupied by Frank Francisco and Gil Meche. Also have Berkman and Juan Rivera currently taking up bench spots.
Which leaves me in the unfortunate predicament of using Colby Rasmus and his .241 BA over the past month as one of my starting OFs.

Oh well, at least I have Garret Jones to play 1B for me with Berkman laid up…

I saw the picture of Kyle Banks on espnews last night and I swear my first thought was “That looks just like Rudy – I wonder if Razzball knows.” Who am I kidding though – of course you’re on top of it.

Ok, here’s the situation. My parents went away on a week’s vacation. Also, I am carrying three catchers. Three! In a 1-catcher league!

Reason: I have Doumit playing (he of the Hot Hand), Wieters stashed and I had to pick up Montero, since C or no C, he’s the hottest hitter in baseball right now.

(And don’t tell me to drop Wieters. You can get me to drop Wieters when you pry him from my cold, dead bench, which is where he’s currently stashing his cold, dead bat.*)

Question: Do I dare start Montero tonight at Util over Wright? I know what you’re thinking: A C at Util? What is this? Razzball?

But Wright’s scuffling and Montero is en fuego. I don’t expect it to last forever, but I can’t play Montero over Doumit of the Three-Donks. And Montero just. Won’t. Stop. Hitting.

The match-ups, btw, favor Wright: It’s Wright in Houston vs. Hampton; and Montero at home against Z. Duke. (Only 1 of Montero’s 9 HRs are against lefties this year.) So I kind of answered my own question.

But is starting Montero over Wright on any day just cold loco? Luke-warm loco? Piping-hot loco?

*In a related story, I dropped Bruce yesterday. Needed the DL spot. Took him out in the canoe, said the Lord’s Prayer, told him to close his eyes and make a wish, then — pop. He hardly even made a splash.

“It’s going to be hard for me to wait until I’m 100%,” he said Thursday. “Maybe that doesn’t happen this year. After rest and the offseason, maybe it’ll be 100% next year. If I feel like I’m 80% and able to go, I’m going to play.”

also, zimmermann said his pain was “no big deal” and that he could pitch if he wanted/needed to. the nationals website also reported that he’ll be on no limit once he comes back. they’re, in effect, “shutting him down” for the next month just as they would the final month of the season. he should be back and pitching for the rest of the season in three or four weeks.

discussing giving haren for papelbon/hughes. owner doesn’t want it. so am considering haren/j upton for papelbon/hughes/konerko. we have holds and saves and i need to make up ground in both if i am to win this league. sitting in 3rd place right now…this would be my team post trade:

i know i am losing this trade on paper but i need the categories as i am rather high in everything else. 12 team 8×8 roto. the team i would be trading is in dead last and not much of a threat to me. probably catch other guys which help me.

@Grey: i trust a pitcher saying “it’s no big deal,” though, and zimmermann sure seems like a bulldog. his FIP is under 3.50 and he has a sparkling K/BB. i know his defense isn’t very good, but that ERA is gonna dip and he is a sure fire bet to rack up some Ks.

@Grey: I figure I’ll hold Wieters a few more weeks in case he figures it out, then I can try to trade him or Doumit in a package. Though in a 12-team, one-catcher league, C’s don’t have much value. I am arguing with myself, like a crazy person.

Holliday to the Cards would make my week. Don’t tease me, you bastards.

Hey Grey,
On a related note, does Ankiel have a chance of heating up a bit? I know LaRussa likes CRasmus, but I’m thinking he benches Ras before Ankiel. I haven’t paid much attention to them. What will he do with them now?

@Tom: I’m a Holliday owner and I’m not expecting much from him these last two months. I mean sometimes it takes players a while to adjust to new settings/team/city and I think it has for Holliday in the beginning of this year in OAK. Hopefully he doesn’t go through a similar adjustment period in St. Louis. I might almost sell him since he probably has a higher trade value right now.

i find it hard to believe that holliday’s value won’t go up substantially whether he’s batting in front of pooholes seeing fastballs down the middle and scoring runs or behind pooholes and constantly having RBI chances.

maybe he never hits 34 HRs again, but i think the avg goes up and his R/RBI paces jump. i’ve been telling a friend of mine in our fantasy league that he should make an offer for holliday before this trade goes through cause he was looking for cheap RBIs, but now it may be too late to get him cheap.

saw a note on Yahoo that Downs is a possible trade candidate. Does that make Frasor a worthy pickup? I also saw somewhere else that Frasor might be a trade candidate as well, so I don’t know what to think anymore.

in STL there is a phenomenon known as the “cardinal year”, where a player gets an immediate 1 year boost just by playing for the most storied franchise of the NL and playing in front of the best fans in baseball. holliday will be in a neutral park and in the middle of a pennant race, 2 things that certainly weren’t happening in oaktown. i’d expect a big 2nd half increase in most categories, except steals.

@Dingo: If both Downs and Frasor are traded (very likely if Halladay gets traded, as it would start a firesale in my opinion), the next candidate for closing should be Accardo. He’s been rock solid of late.

What do you guys think, i trade holliday and drop reimold in a 10 team keeper for cordero and mclouth? Im 2nd to last in saves but first by a large margin in HR/RBI. Mclouth and holliday would be kept virtually in the same round, not sure that id keep either though. Im thinking of just punting saves though, the standings go 39, 42 (me), 49, 49, 50, 61…so i dont think the downgrade from holliday to mclouth is worth it, especially with sherill and gonzalez as my only other closers…thoughts?

In an NL only keeper, with their contract situations up in the air, what do you think of Manny and Holliday for Braun? I have tried to trade for Braun previously but the other owner wants Utley or Pujols from me. I have a 40 HR lead this year, and am in no danger of losing my first place lead to any team in my league.

@Grey: True, but I am thinking dynasty here and would like to get something for these guys before I can’t get anything. If I were to take one away and sub a different, lesser player, I assume I should lose Holliday instead of Manny?

Gray, good post today, I love the escobar/pablo joke. anywho, I’m getting ready to make a run for my league championship… and need to trade either a-ram or reynolds to upgrade other positions. So I need to decided who to keep and who to trade. Who do you see being more productive for me from here on out?

I have Martin Prado starting at 3rd. My OF is BJ Upton, Justin Upton, Carlos Quentin, Michael Bourn, Garret Jones, with Bruce on the DL. (Start 3 OF plus UTIL, so one OF on the bench)

The guy who owns Reynolds and Youk in my league has expressed interest in Bossman and “MAYBE Quentin.” I think Reynolds may be easier to get and is a great value under our keeper rules where you give up the draft round in order to keep the player.

I think I would probably do this trade either way, for BJ or Quentin, but which one would you prefer to give?